Johannes

Final Weeks of BlueStamp

The last weeks were the hardest because everything seemed to go wrong — my robotic arm started to work, then stopped, my servo’s seemed to malfunctioning, etc. You name it, it happened! However, this was a learning momment for me because I felt like breaking everything. The project seemed so difficult and there was times that I just wanted give up. However, the instructors at BlueStamp told me not to give up because it will soon work if I just keep trying. In the end, there were two things that I learned: one was that engineering takes a lot of patience and that something in life is always going to be hard and you should never give up. Blue Stamp showed me that engineering is hard work and that I really love engineering because anything that I find too hard, I tend to give up on. However, I did not give up when it came to this project and engineering. I felt so happy to finish a robotic arm that actually worked!

My Cool Robotic Arm

My final project was a robotic arm that is able to move like a real arm. There are two parts to this project — programming and mechanical –to make this project work. For programming, I had to make sure that my arduino board could take messages from mypotentiometer to send it to my servos. Once I had one servo moving with the potentiometer, I now have to get all five servos to work with four potentiometers. There are only four potentiometers, because one potentiometer will control two servos. Once I get all servos to work, I can start cutting the parts for the servos to be connected to. I had to cut six pieces because it was two pieces for the base which will be holding the two servos that were being controlled by one potentiometer. Another two for the two arms that will have another two servos, and another two to attach the gripper which hold another servo. The hardest thing was cutting the holes and getting everything to be held up by the two base servos. All in all, I’m off to a decent start!

My Starter Project – Light Sensitive Robot

My starter was a robot that was attracted to light. However, it went completly wrong because my transistors were put in backwards so the robot would not work. At this point, I realized that you all ways want to be carefull with the project. When I realized that it was placed backwards I had to re-solder it, so that I can take it out. Then I turned around the transistor, which actually ended up being the hardest thing to do. The instructors told me to use helping hands to help stabilize my project, so it could be easier to take out. Then when I got it to turn on, one of my motors malfunctioned — my robot would move but in the wrong direction. Then, after some more tweaking and redesigning, the motor started to work! Now that my starter project is over, it’s on to my robotic arm!

My First Two Weeks at BlueStamp Engineering

This program was a change from what I thought it was going to be. I thought that when I came here that I was going to have to learn a lot of things and have to know what everything was. However, I have found that instead it was something that we just had to jump in and do. I did not have to know anything to start, but after working and building everything I have learned quite a bit. This program requires a lot of determination and hard work to be able to build these things in the time required. Now I am determined to build everything and make it work. This program is not easy but it is fun, and all things you learn are things that are very cool. I hope to finish my robotic arm so I can show it off. I have learned that if you don’t pay attention you will mess up. I learned that the hard way because I put everything wrong and had to fix it all over again. Back to work!